Devin Daniels Quartet

Alto saxophonist Devin Daniels brings contemporary jazz with fierce creative energy to Mr. Tipple's intimate recording studio setting. A UCLA Herbie Hancock Institute graduate who's earned recognition from the master himself—Hancock has mentored Daniels and featured him at high-profile concerts alongside legends like Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette—Daniels is gaining attention for his "toxic New York swing energy" transplanted to the West Coast scene.

Daniels' approach spans modern jazz, fusion, and post-bop, drawing from his work with the Pan-Afrikan Peoples Arkestra and his formal training under George Garzone at Berklee. His 2024 album LesGo! showcases his "poky, acidic tone" and creative reworkings of jazz standards, including an audacious 14-minute version of Coltrane's "Spiral" in 11/8 time. Live, he demonstrates remarkable technical facility and improvisational fire—recent performances show him "exploding out of the gate" with cascading phrases before settling into complex rhythmic grooves.

Joining Daniels is pianist Adam Hersh, a versatile keyboardist active across the LA contemporary jazz scene who brings rich harmonic textures on piano, Rhodes, and synthesizers. His collaborations span from straight-ahead to fusion contexts, adding dynamic interplay to quartet settings. Drummer Myles Martin won Outstanding Drummer at the Jack Rudin Jazz Championship Awards and is known for aggressive, ever-changing rhythmic counterpoint that feeds bandmates a constant supply of new ideas. Bassist Mauricio Morales completes the rhythm section with his background spanning progressive rock, metal, jazz fusion, and straight-ahead jazz—his film score influences blending with contemporary improvisation.

Expect fast unisons between horn and piano, tight harmonies, and rhythm section work that subdivides and reinvents the beat in real time. Mr. Tipple's intimate space should amplify the intensity of this young quartet's "toxic" energy and creative fire.